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26
Cass smelled the coffee as she woke up, glad she had a place to stay here in Texas.She could just as easily rent somewhere when she wanted to visit her friends and have Supper Club.Right now, Sariah and Robbie were staying in one of the bedrooms, and it was convenient and easy for everyone to have the space to stay.
Beryl curled up next to her knees, and Cass reached down to pat him.It would be harder to rent somewhere with Beryl, and she told herself she wouldn’t be traveling back and forth that often.When she did, she’d leave her dog on Hilton Head.
As she came closer and closer to consciousness, she remembered what day it was.Saturday.
Jane should be here by noon, though Cass didn’t really think she would be.Jane arrived precisely when she wanted to, and not a moment sooner.She ran late all the time, and Cass thought it would likely be suppertime before her younger daughter showed up.
That gave her and Sariah all day to finish going through the house.Though she’d just woken up, exhaustion pulled through her.Her daughter was being extremely picky and somewhat standoffish about the things Cass had left behind.
How can you just walk away from this place?Sariah had asked last night.Cass hadn’t answered her, and they’d separated and gone to bed without speaking.Honestly, the tension pouring through Cass all came from her children, as Conrad echoed Sariah’s feelings about the house.
He’d asked her now that the summer was over whether she’d be selling the house.She’d told him yes, and they’d fought as they carried his boxes into his new apartment.She’d cried so much after driving away, because yes, she’d miss her son, but mostly because she now felt an insane amount of turmoil over what she’d thought she’d already decided.
Sariah didn’t approve of Cass’s relationship with Harrison.Conrad had only tolerated him all summer.Neither of them wanted her to sell the house in Texas.Jane would likely have an opinion too, and Cass didn’t have to guess at what it would be.
Cass and West had faced their trio of children plenty of times, and Jane wasn’t a swing vote.The kids always ganged up on their parents, and Cass wasn’t sure she’d be able to stand strong against both of her daughters.
She felt so emotionally fragile, though she’d spoken to Harrison every day this week.Though he’d told her he’d be happy with whatever decision she made, that he was waiting for her back on Hilton Head, and he couldn’t wait to see her again.
She’d been gone for too long already, and Cass rolled out of bed and walked into the shower.She and Beryl then went down the hall to the kitchen, where Sariah nursed a cup of coffee, her phone in front of her.Her daughter looked up from the device, her smile coming quickly.“Mom.”
Cass had paused at the corner leading from the master suite, and she lifted her chin.“Good morning, Sariah,” she said as diplomatically as she could.
Sariah tilted her head.“You’re not still upset, are you?”
Cass deflated on the spot.“No.”She went into the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee.“But Sariah, this ismyhouse.I can do whatever I want with it.”
Sariah said nothing, and when Cass faced her, her daughter’s face had turned hard again.“Mom, none of us want you to sell this house.”
“Once again.”Cass pulled open the drawer and took out a spoon.“It’s my house.You haven’t lived here for five years.You’re married and on your own.Conrad’s at college.”She stirred her coffee deliberately, trying to cage the wild storm raging inside her.“Jane moves from place to place every single day.”
She looked up, her stomach squeezing.She’d done so much for her children; they had no idea.When West had traveled for work, Cass had held everything together.When they got teachers they didn’t get along with, Cass pulled strings and got them transferred.When Sariah had gone over her wedding budget by five thousand dollars, Cass had written the check, no questions asked.
She didn’t want them to experience disappointment if she could prevent it.She knew life was cruel and difficult, and if she could shield them from that as much as possible, Cass had done it.
Sariah stared back at her now, and Cass told herself to be brave.She’d voiced her opinions plenty of times in other situations.At Supper Club.In discussions with West.With her assistants within her interior design business.
Somehow, standing up to Sariah was ten times harder.“I don’t want to live here,” she said as evenly as possible.She sighed as she looked around.The painting above the fireplace reminded her of West.The dark red leather recliner was where he sat in the evenings.He’d fixed the stones in the hearth when they’d cracked.
Everywhere she looked, she saw West.
“I miss your dad,” she said.
“That’s why you have to stay here,” Sariah said.
“Why?”Cass challenged.“So I can be engulfed in grief and sadness every single day of my life?”She brought her eyes back to her daughter’s.“I miss him.I love him.But Sariah, I deserve to be happy too.”
“You’re still grieving,” Sariah said.
“No,” Cass said.“I’m not.I’m ready to move on, and you’re holding me back.I’ve reached a level of healing and I’m trying to find a fresh start so I can be happy, and you don’t want me to.”Her chest lifted as she gasped for air.She couldn’t believe she’d just said those things, but as the words rang through the silent kitchen, she felt their truthfulness.
“Mama.”Sariah got to her feet, but Cass stayed very still.“Of course I want you to be happy.”
“I’m happy in South Carolina,” Cass said.
“I just don’t want you to rush into anything.”
